InstallShield installer archive - Revision history

Jsummers: Minor cleanup

2025-11-22T16:08:57Z

Minor cleanup

Dexvertbot: Change telparia.com samples link to template

2023-12-28T02:55:12Z

Change telparia.com samples link to template

Jsummers at 16:18, 29 January 2023

2023-01-29T16:18:39Z

Jsummers at 21:03, 14 January 2023

2023-01-14T21:03:24Z

Jsummers at 17:19, 11 June 2022

2022-06-11T17:19:50Z

Sembiance: /* Sample files */

2021-01-13T22:56:50Z

‎Sample files

Jsummers: /* Discussion */

2018-02-22T15:57:36Z

‎Discussion

Jsummers: Created page with "{{FormatInfo |formattype=electronic |subcat=Archiving |extensions={{ext|ex_}} }} '''InstallShield installer archive''' is what we're calling the format of the `_INST32I.E..."`


2018-02-08T17:05:30Z
Created page with "{{FormatInfo |formattype=electronic |subcat=Archiving |extensions={{ext|ex_}} }} '''InstallShield installer archive''' is what we're calling the format of the <code>_INST32I.E..."
New page
{{FormatInfo

|formattype=electronic

|subcat=Archiving

|extensions={{ext|ex_}}

}}

'''InstallShield installer archive''' is what we're calling the format of the <code>_INST32I.EX_</code> file included in many Windows software distributions that use the ''InstallShield'' installation software. It appears to be a general-purpose compressed archive format, though it's not clear whether it has been used in any other way.



== Disambiguation ==

It is not to be confused with [[InstallShield CAB]], [[InstallShield Z]], or [[MS-DOS installation compression]].



== Discussion ==

Based on plausible but non-authoritative information, the 16-bit SETUP.EXE program detects the user's platform, and extracts the appropriate platform-specific installer programs from <code>_INST32I.EX_</code>.



== Identification ==

Files begin with bytes {{magic|2a ab 79 d8}}.



At offset 8 is the message "<code>Copyright (c) 1990-1995 Stirling Technologies, Inc. All Rights Reserve</code>".



== Sample files ==

* Examples of software with such a file: [http://cd.textfiles.com/cdaction/cdaction24b/GOLF/], [http://cd.textfiles.com/cdaction/cdaction32/JAKKAL/], [http://cd.textfiles.com/cdaction/cdaction32/WARGASM/]



== Links ==

* [http://filext.com/file-extension.php?extension=%3F%3F_ FILExt page about the ??_ file extension pattern] (Look for "InstallShield")



[[Category:File formats with a distinctive filename]]

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 |extensions={{ext|ex_}}
 }}
-'''InstallShield installer archive''' is what we're calling the format of the <code>_inst32i.ex_</code> file included in many Windows software distributions that use the [[InstallShield]] installation software. Another filename used by the format is <code>_inst16.ex_</code>. Rarely, filenames <code>_inst32a.ex_</code> (related to Windows NT for DEC Alpha) and <code>_inst32m.ex_</code> (MIPS) may be found.
+'''InstallShield installer archive''' is what we're calling the format of the file usually named <code>_inst32i.ex_</code> or <code>_inst16.ex_</code>, included in many Windows software distributions that use the [[InstallShield]] installation software. Filenames <code>_inst32a.ex_</code> (related to Windows NT for DEC Alpha) and <code>_inst32m.ex_</code> (MIPS) are also possible, though rare.
 It uses [[PKWARE DCL Implode]] compression.
-== Disambiguation ==
+An archive in this format contains redistributable InstallShield executable files specific to one platform.
-It is not to be confused with [[InstallShield CAB]], [[InstallShield Z]], or [[MS-DOS installation compression]].
-== Discussion ==
+See [[InstallShield]] for other InstallShield formats.
-Based on unconfirmed information, the 16-bit <code>setup.exe</code> program detects the user's platform, and extracts the appropriate platform-specific installer programs from (e.g.) <code>_inst32i.ex_</code>.
 == Identification ==
@@ Line 23: / Line 21: @@
 == Sample files ==
-* Examples of software with such a file: [http://cd.textfiles.com/cdaction/cdaction24b/GOLF/], [http://cd.textfiles.com/cdaction/cdaction32/JAKKAL/], [http://cd.textfiles.com/cdaction/cdaction32/WARGASM/]
+* Examples of software with such a file: [{{CdTextfilesURL|cdaction/cdaction24b/GOLF/}}], [{{CdTextfilesURL|cdaction/cdaction32/JAKKAL/}}], [{{CdTextfilesURL|cdaction/cdaction32/WARGASM/}}]
 * {{DexvertSamples|archive/installShieldInstallerArchive}}
 == Links ==
-* [http://filext.com/file-extension.php?extension=%3F%3F_ FILExt page about the ??_ file extension pattern] (Look for "InstallShield")
+* [https://filext.com/file-extension/%3F%3F_ FILExt page about the ??_ file extension pattern] (Look for "InstallShield")
 [[Category:File formats with a distinctive filename]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:18, 29 January 2023
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	At offset 8 is the message "<code>Copyright (c) 1990-1995 Stirling Technologies, Inc. All Rights Reserve</code>".		At offset 8 is the message "<code>Copyright (c) 1990-1995 Stirling Technologies, Inc. All Rights Reserve</code>".
		+
		+	== Software ==
		+	* {{Deark}}

	== Sample files ==		== Sample files ==

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 |extensions={{ext|ex_}}
 }}
-'''InstallShield installer archive''' is what we're calling the format of the <code>_INST32I.EX_</code> file included in many Windows software distributions that use the [[InstallShield]] installation software. It appears to be a general-purpose compressed archive format, though it's not clear whether it has been used in any other way.
+'''InstallShield installer archive''' is what we're calling the format of the <code>_inst32i.ex_</code> file included in many Windows software distributions that use the [[InstallShield]] installation software. Another filename used by the format is <code>_inst16.ex_</code>. Rarely, filenames <code>_inst32a.ex_</code> (related to Windows NT for DEC Alpha) and <code>_inst32m.ex_</code> (MIPS) may be found.
 == Disambiguation ==
@@ Line 10: / Line 12: @@
 == Discussion ==
-Based on unconfirmed information, the 16-bit SETUP.EXE program detects the user's platform, and extracts the appropriate platform-specific installer programs from <code>_INST32I.EX_</code>.
+Based on unconfirmed information, the 16-bit <code>setup.exe</code> program detects the user's platform, and extracts the appropriate platform-specific installer programs from (e.g.) <code>_inst32i.ex_</code>.
 == Identification ==